Adjustable mouthpiece



Oet- 13, 1925- S. s. SMITH ADJUSTABLE MOUTHPIECE Filed latch 17, 1923Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES SIDNEY S. SMITH, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

ADJUSTABLE HOUTHPIECE.

Application filed March 17, 1923.

To all whom` t may cm1-cern.'

Be it known that I, SIDNEY S. SMrrH, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Grand Ra ids, in the county of Kent and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAdjustable Mouthpieces; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to an adjustable mouth piece for wind instrumentssuch as cornets, trombones, various types of horns and the like. It is aprimary object and purpose of the present invention to make a mouthpiece wherein the lip engaging portion thereof may be adjusted to anydesired position with respect to the remainder ot the said mouth piece,and either secured in said adjusted position or left free to move sothat the erformer may change position as desired uring the performanceof the selection played. To this end I have made the constructionsillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. l is a longitudinal section centrally of a preferred constructionof mouth piece made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a like View of a modified form of construction of mouth piece,and

Fig. 3 is a somewhat reduced side elevation of the mouth piece shown inFig. 1.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figuresof the drawing.

In the construction of the preferred form, shown in Fig. 1, an elongatedmember 1 of suitable metal is used, at one end being enlarged, asindicated at 2 and formed adjacent its end with curved surfaces 3, saidsurfaces bein(r curved substantially in arcs of a sphere. Through themember 1 a longitudinal opening 4 is made which is tapering and reducesin size from what may be termed the inner end of the member to the heador enlargement 2 thereof, thence flaring outwardly and enlarging in theend of the enlarged portion 2, as shown at 5.

A ring 6 of metal is formed on its inner sides with curved surfaces 7conforming to the surfaces 3 heretofore described so that the ring 6 mayhave a universal angular movement with respect to the longitudinal axisof the member 1 and may be adjusted to an indefinite number of positionson the enlarged head 2 thereof. If desired, the ring Serial No. 625,691.

may be secured in any preferred position to which adjusted, a screw 8being threaded through an opening in the ring 6 so that its inner endmay be brought to bear against the surface at 3 to secure the partsagainst relative movement. This securing of the ring against movement isnot necessary unless desired as the screw 8 may be left in inoperativeposition if desired.

lith this construction, it is evident that the ring 6 with which thelips engage may be adjusted for the particular performer and with thescrew S left in inoperative position, the position of the lip engagingring may be changed as may be desired during the operation of theinstrument with which the mouth piece is used. This dispenses with theabsolute rigidity present in solid non-adjustable mouth pieces and is ofvalue in ease of operation and automatic correction of the mouth pieceto the lips during the operation without detriment to the quality ofmusic produced.

ln Fig. 2, a modilied form of structure is shown, the elongated member 9having a somewhat enlarged end 10 on the inner sides of which a socket11 is made having surfaces of arcs of a sphere. The regular form ofmouth piece now almost universally used, indicated at 12, is equippedwith a member 13 having surfaces which conform to the inner surfaces ofthe socket 11 whereby a universal movement of the immediate mouthpiecemember 12 with respect to the member 9 is permitted, there being ineifect a ball and socket joint made. A projection 14 at the inner sideof the member 13 has an opening therethrough which communicates with theenlargement made to it the lips on the inner sides of the member 12. Aflexible member 15 of rubber or like material is attached at one end tothe projection 14 and lies within and lengthwise of the member 9, asshown, being connected thereto. The opening made lengthwise throughmember 15 is tapered, enlarging from the point of connection to theprojection 111 to the end of the member.

T his modified construction is also adjustable in that the lip engagingmember 12 may be turned to any desired angle. The set screw S is notshown in the structure illustrated in Fig. 2, but it is obvious that itmay be added if desired. This structure while not preferred, is capableof the desired adjustment, as is evident. It will be noted that anannular recess is formed where the curved surface 7 of the ring 6overhangs the outer end of the member 1. This has been found to add tothe tonal qualities of the mouth piece. Other modifications in structuremay be made Without changing the in vention, and all such as come withinthe scope of the appended claims defining the invention are to beconsidered as comprehended by the invention.

I claim:

l. In adevice of the class described, an elongated member having apassage therethrough, and a member mounted thereon for angularadjustment with respect to the longitudinal axis of said member, saidmember being sha ed for engagement by the lips, subst-antia ly asdescribed.

2. In a device of the class described, an elongated member having apassage therethrough, and a member mounted at one end thereof foruniversal angular adjustment with respect to the longitudinal axis ofsaid member, said member being shaped at its free end for engagement bythe lips, substantially as described.

3. A mouth piece, comprising an elongated stem having a passagelongitudinally therethrough, and a member mounted at one end of the stemfor universal angular movement with respect to the longitudinal axis ofthe said elongated member, said member-being sha ed :tits freelend forengagement by the ips andY means idr securing said member in anyposition to which it is ad'usted.

4. mouthpiece, comprising an elon @d stem having a passagelongitudinally erethrough and formed with an enlargement at one end, theopenin being enlarged at said end of the stem, an said enlar ment curvedat its outer side in t e arc a sphere, and a ring connected to thesaine'x having its inner sides curved to conf to the said enlar ement at theend o stem so as to universally adju thereon. l "i mi".

5. In a mouthpiece, a stem with a lo" tudinal opening therethrough, anda i; ber adapted to be engaged b the lips ad f ably mounted at one end'o the stem just to different positions substantially il described. v

6. A mouth piece for wind instrnmjcomprising an elongated member haviT'fa Q5 longitudinal openin herethrongh, theo ,v i end of saidmembergl'iaiingacurvedsuil and a lip engagingmemberhaving-an curvedsurface to embrace the curved su A of the elongated member, said lip eno member overhanging said elongatedy mem r to form an annular recess. L

In testimony whereof I allix my signature..

SIDNEY S. SMITH. A

